Buckle



March 10, 1959 BUCKLE Filed April 20, 1956 FIG. l.

2s 25 27 si 2 Sheets-Sheet l mvENToR LOUIS F. CUMMINGS lffww,

vATTORNEYS March 10, 1959 F, CUMMINGS 2,876,516

BUCKLE Filed April 20, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheetv 2 FIG. e.

INVENTOR LOUIS F. CUMMINGS ATTORN EYS BUCKLE Louis F. Cummings, LosAngeles, Calif. Application April 20, 1956, Serial No. 579,537 4 Claims.(Cl. 24 75) This invention has to do generally with belt buckles andmore particularly with buckles of the type used to releasably secure theends of safety belts or straps of the type commonly used in airplanesand automobiles to restrain the occupants in the event of a crash oraccident.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved buckle ofthe type indicated wherein one end of a belt or strap is adjustablysecured to the buckle and the other end of the belt or strap carries anapertured tongue plate for insertion in the buckle to be releasablysecured by the buckle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedbuckle construction which will withstand a load or pull of severalthousand pounds and which can be readily opened with a minimum of eifortwhen it is under a relatively lighter pull or load. In this connectionsafety regulations provide that under test the buckles must withstand apull of 1500 or more pounds and subsequently must be capable of beingopened by a pull of not more than 45 pounds upon the lever or handlewhen straps and buckle are subjected to a pull of 125 pounds. It,therefore, is a particular object of the invention to provide a bucklewhich more than meets these requirements.

A further object is to `provide Vimproved means for securing the strapto the buckle so that it will be securely held when subjected to anyload and yet permit of the strap being readily adjusted relative to thebuckle by manipulation of the buckle when there is no load or pull uponthe strap. In this connection it is a further object to providestrap-securing means which prevents the strap from coming loose if thebuckle is tilted to a considerable` angle with the strap, as in openingthe buckle and the like.

Another object is to provide a buckle Iof the type indicated in whichthe moving parts are so balanced that the buckle will not open under theinuence of inertia.

These and other objects will be apparent from the drawings and thefollowing description. Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a buckle embodying the inventionshown securing two belt or strap sections;

Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View on line 3 3 of Fig. 2, but with the strapsections omitted;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View on line 4 4 of 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5 5 of Fig. 2, but with the strapsections omitted;

Fig. 6 is a sectional View similar to Fig. 3, but showing the parts in adifferent position;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on line 7 7 of Fig. l, but with the strapsections omitted; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view in the same plane as Fig. 3 but showing theparts in a diterent position.

More particularly describing the invention, numeral 11 r`ice `generallyindicates a buckle which is shown as securing two strap or beltsections, designated 12 and 13. The section 13 is shown provided with atongue plate 15 which is inserted into the buckle 11 and secured inplace therein. Buckle 11 is adjustably mounted upon the strap section 12which is shown threaded through the buckle in a manner subsequently tobe described.

The buckle comprises a base, designated generally 18, having aplate-like main portion 19 and a pair of lateral anges or sides 20.

The base has a Wide transverse slot or opening 22 adjacent one end andat one side of this opening an upwardly extending transverse wall 23which may be formed as a continuation of the main portion of the base.In the region above the slot 22 there is provided a transverse strap bar25 which preferably has a knurled or roughened surface as indicated onthe drawings. This bar has reduced and attened end portions 26 which areslidably received in inclined slots 27 in the sides 20 of the bucklebase. This construction permits limited movement of the bar in adirection longitudinally of the slots 27. The strap section 12 isthreaded through slot 22 around the bar 25 and between it and theupright wall 23 and then out again through slot 22. With thisconstruction the strap may be readily adjusted in the buckle whileat thesame time whenever any vpull is placed upon the strap the bar 25 ispulled over toward the end of the ybuckle wedging and clamping a portionof the strap against wall 23.

The buckle sides 20 support a transversely extending pin 30 upon which ahandle 31 is pivotally mounted. The handle and base deline a spacetherebetween to freely receive the tongue plate. Pin 30 is shown ashaving a hexagonal head 32 received in a similar shaped opening 33 inone side of the base. The other end of the pin 30 extends through theother side of the base and is secured by a split ring 34 in a groove 35.

A torsion spring 37 is provided about the pin 30 and has oneend'received in a groove 38 in the head of the pin 30 and the other endreceived in a bore 39 at the end of a cavity 40 in the handle, thespring serving to yieldably urge the handle 31 toward the base to theposition in which itis shown in Fig. 1.

In a central cavity portion 41 of the handle 31 I moun a latch member42. This member is pivotally mounted upon the pin 30, being providedwith an elongated hole 42 for this purpose. A at spring 44 of V-shape ismounted between the upper or outer edge 45 of the latch member 41 andthe inner surface of the handle 31, serving to yieldably urge the latchmember toward the base. For the purpose of operating the latch member Iprovide a latch-operating pin 46 in the handle and this extends througha bore 47. The pin 46 is of considerably smaller diameter than bore 47so that a lost motion connection exists permitting limited movement ofthe latch member independently of the handle.

The base of the buckle is provided with an aperture 50 to receive theend portion 51 of the latch member. The tongue plate 15 is alsoapertured having a slot 52 through which the latch member projects whenthe plate is secured by the buckle as shown in Fig. 3. At its end thelatch member is provided with a bevel surface 55 and opposite this onits other side is a step-like recess 56, the latter accommodating theforward edge portion 50' of the slot 50.

In the operation of the buckle in order to secure the strap sectionstogether the tongue plate 15 is inserted from the left'side of thebuckle in the manner shown in Fig. 6. Upon entering, the forward edge ofthe tongue plate deiiects the latch member 42 out of the `way permittingentrance of the tongue plate. The tongue plate then snaps into theposition shown in Fig. 3 under the iniluence of spring 44.

In order to release the tongue plate, the handle is pivoted away fromthe base as shown in Fig. 8. During this operation the latch member ispulled upwardly and out of the opening 50 in the base. `It is aparticular feature of my invention that I form the opening 42 in thelatch member which receives pin 30 so that it is elongated in adirection normal to the plane of the plate portion 19 ofthe base. rIhus,during the early stages of the movement of the latch member, it ispulled vertically out of the aperture 50 in the base member. This actionmakes it easy to open the buckle even though there is considerable pullupon the straps. Further movement of the handle in the direction of thearrow of Fig. 8 serves to pivot the latch 'member out of engagement withthe tongue plate. -During this movement the beveled surface 55 on thelatch member serves to make this operation require but little effort.

One of the features of the invention is the disposition of the slots 27in which the strap bar 25 is mounted. The slots are inclined downwardlytoward the adjacent end of the buckle. Consequently, the bar readilymoves toward the wall 23 in position to clamp the strap which passesaround the bar. Also, with this construction, the buckle can be tiltedfar forward as it might accidently be by a person wearing a safety strapand the strap will not come loose.

Still another feature of the buckle construction is the fact that thehandle is so designed as to have nearly suicient stock at the left ofits pivotal axis (as viewed in Fig. l) to balance the end portion of thehandle on the other side of the pivotal axis. This, in conjunction withthe spring mounting of the handle, enables the buckle to withstand highinertia loads tending to pivot the handle away from the base.

Although I have illustrated and described a preferred form of myinvention, I contemplate that various changes and modifications can bemade therein without departing from the invention, the scope of which isindicated by the following claims.

I claim:

l. A buckle comprising a plate-like base having a latch member-receivingaperture, a handle pivotally mounted at one end of said base upon anaxis parallel to the general plane of the base, said handle overlyingsaid base, spring means between the base and handle urging said handletoward the base, said base and handle providing a space therebetween forthe reception of an apertured tongue plate to be releasably secured, alatch member mounted on said base for pivotal movement about the pivotalaxis of said handle, means connecting said handle and latch memberpermitting limited movement of the latch member relative to the handle,said latch member having a tongue-plate-engaging portion normallyprojecting toward said base for extension through the aperture of thetongue plate and into the aperture in the base, spring means urging saidlatch member toward said base, said handle being pivotally movable awayfrom the base whereby to carry said latch member and release the tongueplate, said latch member being mounted for limited movement verticallyrelative to said pivotal axis of the handle whereby initial movement ofsaid latch member is normal to the plane of the base upon pivotalmovement of the handle away from the base.

2. A buckle as dened in claim l in which said base has an upright angeat each side and is provided with a pin mounted in the flanges and inwhich said handle and said latch member are each mounted on said pin,said latch member having an elongated slot receiving said pin.

3. In a buckle, a base plate having a latch memberreceiving aperture, ahandle pivotally mounted on anaxis parallel to said base plate at oneend to overlie said base plate, defining therewith a space for thereception ot' an apertured tongue plate to be secured, spring meansurging said handle toward said base plate, a latch member mounted on thebase plate for pivotal movement about the pivotal axis of said handle,said latch member being loosely mounted to permit of limited lateralmovement relative to said pivotal axis, a lostmotion connection betweensaid latch member and said handle, said latch member being adapted toproject through the aperture in said tongue plate into the aperture insaid base plate, and spring means urging said latch member toward saidbase plate.

4. A buckle as set forth in claim 3 in which said latch member and saidbase plate are connected by a pin and slot connection.

Beazley Iune 23, 1942 Davis June 2 1, 1955

